A1 noun #2,633 가장 일반적인 3분 분량

sudden

A sudden is a quick and unexpected event.

Practice it

Explanation at your level:

You use 'sudden' in the phrase 'all of a sudden.' It means something happens fast. Example: 'All of a sudden, I saw a cat!' It is a very useful phrase for telling stories.

When you want to say something was a surprise, use 'all of a sudden.' It describes a change that happens in one second. It is common in English conversations.

The noun 'sudden' is essentially a fixed part of the idiom 'all of a sudden.' It functions to indicate an abrupt transition in a narrative. It is helpful for making your storytelling more dynamic and engaging for the listener.

While 'sudden' is primarily an adjective, its noun usage in 'all of a sudden' is a hallmark of natural English fluency. It adds a sense of immediacy to your sentences, allowing you to highlight the unexpected nature of an event.

In advanced usage, 'sudden' as a noun is a linguistic relic. Recognizing that this is a fixed expression rather than a flexible noun helps learners avoid errors like 'a sudden occurrence' (which is correct as an adjective) versus 'the sudden' (which is incorrect). It is best used for narrative pacing.

The noun 'sudden' represents a fascinating case of lexical fossilization. By analyzing its roots in Latin subitaneus, we see how it transitioned from a general noun to a constrained idiomatic component. Mastery involves understanding that while the word is morphologically simple, its syntactic distribution is strictly limited to specific idiomatic clusters in contemporary English.

30초 단어

  • Used in 'all of a sudden'.
  • Means unexpected.
  • Very common in stories.
  • Not a standalone noun.

When we talk about sudden as a noun, we are almost always talking about the phrase all of a sudden. It acts as a placeholder for a 'quick event' or 'unexpected moment.' Imagine you are walking down the street and, all of a sudden, it starts to rain. That moment of change is the 'sudden' we are describing.

It is fascinating because, in English, we usually use 'sudden' as an adjective to describe things, like a 'sudden noise.' Using it as a noun is a grammatical fossil that survives in this one specific idiom. Think of it as a way to emphasize that time just shifted instantly!

The word sudden comes from the Old French word sodain, which traces back to the Latin subitaneus, meaning 'happening secretly' or 'coming on suddenly.' It entered Middle English around the 13th century.

Historically, the noun usage was more flexible, but over centuries, the language streamlined. Most uses of 'sudden' as a standalone noun vanished, leaving behind the fixed phrase all of a sudden. It is a great example of how language preserves old structures through idioms even when the original grammatical rules have shifted.

You will almost exclusively see this word used in the collocation all of a sudden. It is very common in both spoken and written English, appearing in novels, news reports, and casual conversation.

While you might occasionally see archaic phrasing like 'on a sudden,' it sounds very poetic or old-fashioned. Stick to 'all of a sudden' to sound natural. It works perfectly to introduce a plot twist or a change in a story you are telling your friends.

1. All of a sudden: Happening very quickly and unexpectedly. (Example: 'All of a sudden, the lights went out.')

2. On a sudden: An archaic way of saying suddenly. (Example: 'On a sudden, he turned to leave.')

3. Of a sudden: Another old-fashioned variation. (Example: 'Of a sudden, the wind picked up.')

4. Sudden death: A tie-breaking rule in sports. (Example: 'The game went into sudden death overtime.')

5. Sudden impact: A term often used in physics or accident reports. (Example: 'The sudden impact caused the damage.')

In the phrase all of a sudden, 'sudden' acts as a noun following the indefinite article 'a.' It does not have a plural form; you would never say 'all of a suddens.'

The pronunciation is /ˈsʌd.ən/ in both British and American English. The stress is on the first syllable. It rhymes with words like muddied (loosely), budden (non-standard), and glutton (in terms of the 'un' sound).

Fun Fact

It evolved from the Latin 'subitaneus', which meant 'coming on secretly'.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ˈsʌd.ən/

Clear 'u' sound, then 'd', 'un'.

US /ˈsʌd.ən/

Similar to UK, slightly more nasal 'u'.

Common Errors

  • Pronouncing the 'd' too softly
  • Adding an extra syllable
  • Misplacing the stress

Rhymes With

Glutton Button Mutton Cotton Forgotten

Difficulty Rating

독해 1/5

Easy

Writing 2/5

Medium

Speaking 1/5

Easy

듣기 1/5

Easy

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

Sudden (adj) All A

Learn Next

Suddenly Abruptly Unexpectedly

고급

Precipitous Impulsive

Grammar to Know

Idiomatic Expressions

All of a sudden

Adverb vs Adjective

Sudden vs suddenly

Article Usage

A vs The

Examples by Level

1

All of a sudden, it rained.

Suddenly, rain started.

Fixed phrase.

2

All of a sudden, he ran.

He ran fast.

Idiom.

3

All of a sudden, I was happy.

I felt happy fast.

Idiom.

4

All of a sudden, the dog barked.

Dog barked fast.

Idiom.

5

All of a sudden, the bus came.

The bus arrived.

Idiom.

6

All of a sudden, she laughed.

She started laughing.

Idiom.

7

All of a sudden, it was dark.

Night came fast.

Idiom.

8

All of a sudden, I saw you.

I spotted you.

Idiom.

1

All of a sudden, the phone rang.

2

All of a sudden, the movie ended.

3

All of a sudden, we were lost.

4

All of a sudden, the wind blew.

5

All of a sudden, I felt cold.

6

All of a sudden, the door opened.

7

All of a sudden, he left.

8

All of a sudden, the music stopped.

1

All of a sudden, the atmosphere in the room changed.

2

She was reading when, all of a sudden, the power failed.

3

All of a sudden, he realized he had forgotten his keys.

4

The calm was broken, all of a sudden, by a loud crash.

5

All of a sudden, the train accelerated.

6

I was thinking about home when, all of a sudden, I felt homesick.

7

All of a sudden, the sky turned grey.

8

All of a sudden, they decided to move.

1

All of a sudden, the entire project was cancelled.

2

He was mid-sentence when, all of a sudden, he stopped talking.

3

All of a sudden, the stock market plummeted.

4

The silence was, all of a sudden, shattered by a scream.

5

All of a sudden, the opportunity presented itself.

6

All of a sudden, the plan seemed foolish.

7

All of a sudden, the crowd surged forward.

8

All of a sudden, her confidence returned.

1

All of a sudden, the narrative took a dark turn.

2

The realization hit him, all of a sudden, like a physical blow.

3

All of a sudden, the geopolitical landscape shifted.

4

It was, all of a sudden, clear that we had failed.

5

All of a sudden, the abstract became concrete.

6

All of a sudden, the tension reached a breaking point.

7

All of a sudden, the truth was laid bare.

8

All of a sudden, the complexity of the issue became apparent.

1

All of a sudden, the long-standing tradition was abandoned.

2

The paradigm shifted, all of a sudden, to something entirely new.

3

All of a sudden, the existential dread vanished.

4

It happened, all of a sudden, with the force of a revelation.

5

All of a sudden, the discourse became heated.

6

All of a sudden, the intricate design collapsed.

7

All of a sudden, the philosophical debate reached an impasse.

8

All of a sudden, the quietude was replaced by chaos.

동의어

abruptness suddenness unexpectedness instancy precipitance

반의어

gradualness slowness

자주 쓰는 조합

all of a sudden
sudden death
sudden impact
sudden change
sudden movement
sudden noise
sudden realization
sudden stop
sudden increase
sudden decision

Idioms & Expressions

"All of a sudden"

Happening without warning.

All of a sudden, the bell rang.

neutral

"On a sudden"

Archaic for suddenly.

He stood on a sudden.

literary

"Of a sudden"

Archaic for suddenly.

Of a sudden, he was gone.

literary

"Sudden death"

A tie-breaker.

The match went to sudden death.

neutral

"Sudden impact"

Collision force.

The sudden impact was severe.

neutral

"Sudden turn of events"

Unexpected change.

It was a sudden turn of events.

neutral

Easily Confused

sudden vs Suddenly

It is the adverb form.

Use 'suddenly' for actions, 'all of a sudden' for events.

He ran suddenly / All of a sudden, he ran.

sudden vs Abrupt

Similar meaning.

Abrupt is an adjective.

An abrupt stop.

sudden vs Quick

Similar speed.

Quick describes speed, sudden describes surprise.

A quick run vs a sudden noise.

sudden vs Unexpected

Similar meaning.

Unexpected is an adjective.

An unexpected guest.

Sentence Patterns

A1

All of a sudden + [comma] + [sentence]

All of a sudden, I left.

B1

[Sentence] + all of a sudden + [sentence]

I was eating, all of a sudden, I stopped.

A2

It happened all of a sudden.

The crash happened all of a sudden.

어휘 가족

Nouns

suddenness The quality of being sudden.

Adjectives

sudden Happening quickly.

관련

subito Italian root

How to Use It

frequency

9/10

Formality Scale

Neutral Casual

자주 하는 실수

The sudden happened. → It happened all of a sudden.
Sudden is not a standalone noun.
All of sudden. → All of a sudden.
Missing the article 'a'.
It was a sudden. → It was a sudden event.
Sudden requires a noun.
All of the sudden. → All of a sudden.
Wrong article.
He did it in a sudden. → He did it suddenly.
Use the adverb.

Tips

💡

The Golden Rule

Always keep it in the phrase 'all of a sudden'.

💡

Don't Pluralize

Never add an 's'.

💡

Narrative Practice

Use it when telling stories to friends.

💡

Article Check

Always use 'a', not 'the'.

💡

Stress the First

SUD-den.

🌍

Storytelling

It adds drama to your tales.

💡

Latin Roots

It comes from 'subitaneus'.

💡

Visuals

Imagine a surprise pop-up.

💡

Read Aloud

Say the phrase 10 times.

💡

Adjective vs Noun

Remember it's mostly an adjective.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

S-U-D-D-E-N: Super Unexpectedly, Doing Does Everything Now.

Visual Association

A jack-in-the-box popping up.

Word Web

Surprise Speed Unexpected Moment

챌린지

Write 3 sentences using 'all of a sudden'.

어원

Latin

Original meaning: Coming on secretly/unexpectedly.

문화적 맥락

None.

Used frequently in storytelling to create suspense.

'All of a Sudden' is a common song title.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Storytelling

  • All of a sudden
  • I didn't expect it
  • Out of nowhere

Accidents

  • All of a sudden
  • Sudden impact
  • Without warning

Weather

  • All of a sudden
  • The rain started
  • The wind changed

Surprises

  • All of a sudden
  • A big surprise
  • It appeared

Conversation Starters

"Tell me about a time when, all of a sudden, something happened."

"What do you do when, all of a sudden, you are bored?"

"Have you ever, all of a sudden, changed your mind?"

"What is the most, all of a sudden, surprising thing you've seen?"

"Do you like it when things happen, all of a sudden?"

Journal Prompts

Write about a day where, all of a sudden, the weather changed.

Describe a moment when, all of a sudden, you realized something important.

What happens when, all of a sudden, you lose your keys?

Write a story starting with 'All of a sudden...'

자주 묻는 질문

8 질문

Only in the phrase 'all of a sudden'.

Yes, primarily.

No.

It is neutral.

Yes, as an adjective.

It is a historical idiom.

Used in both.

It is common but technically 'all of a sudden' is standard.

셀프 테스트

fill blank A1

All of a ___ , it rained.

정답! 아쉬워요. 정답: sudden

The phrase is 'all of a sudden'.

multiple choice A2

What does 'all of a sudden' mean?

정답! 아쉬워요. 정답: Unexpectedly

It means something happens fast/unexpectedly.

true false B1

Can you say 'I saw a sudden'?

정답! 아쉬워요. 정답: 거짓

Sudden is not a noun on its own.

match pairs B1

Word

뜻

All matched!

They are synonyms.

sentence order B2

아래 단어를 탭해서 문장을 만들어 보세요
정답! 아쉬워요. 정답:

Correct order is 'all of a sudden'.

점수: /5

Related Content

맥락에서 배우기

🇮🇹 Pompeii Archaeological Park

이 단어를 다른 언어로

مفاجئ 아랍어

Emotions 관련 단어

astonished

A1

도저히 일어날 것 같지 않던 일이 벌어져서 깜짝 놀란 상태야. 너무 신기해서 어안이 벙벙한 느낌이지.

inmissery

C1

A formal noun describing the state of being profoundly engulfed in or trapped by extreme distress, sorrow, or wretchedness. It emphasizes the internal and seemingly inescapable nature of one's suffering within a specific situation.

eager

A1

열심인(eager) 것은 무언가를 하고 싶어하는 강한 욕구가 있거나 앞으로 일어날 일에 대해 매우 흥분하는 것입니다. 당신은 준비되어 있고 큰 관심을 가지고 있습니다.

anscicy

C1

미래의 사건이나 불확실한 결과에 대한 극심한 정신적 고통이나 불안 상태를 말합니다.

undertempence

C1

A lack of self-restraint or moderation, particularly in regards to one's emotional responses or behavioral impulses. It refers to a state of being insufficiently temperate or failing to maintain a balanced disposition under pressure.

repedant

C1

과거의 행동이나 잘못에 대해 진심으로 후회하거나 뉘우치는 것을 의미해요. 진정으로 바로잡고 싶은 마음이 있다는 뜻이죠.

malviter

C1

Describing a person or action characterized by persistent poor judgment, harmful habits, or a tendency toward unethical behavior. It implies a chronic state of failing to meet established moral or professional standards.

awe

C1

A feeling of profound respect mixed with wonder and sometimes a touch of fear or dread. It typically occurs when one is confronted with something majestic, vast, or incredibly powerful that transcends ordinary experience.

grateful

A1

감사하는(grateful) 것은 누군가가 당신을 위해 해준 것이나 준 것에 대해 고마움을 느끼는 것입니다. 당신은 감사를 표현합니다.

enthusiastic

A1

열정적인(enthusiastic) 것은 무언가에 대해 큰 기쁨과 관심을 보이는 것입니다. 당신은 에너지로 가득 차 있고 매우 흥분합니다.

도움이 되었나요?

댓글 (0)

로그인하여 댓글 달기
아직 댓글이 없습니다. 첫 번째로 생각을 공유하세요!